


Fighting Fate

by nobodyzhuman



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Dom/sub, Dom/sub Undertones, Dragons, F/M, Good Mordred (Merlin), Kinda, Lancelot is awesome, Leon is smarter than people think, M/M, Magic, Magic Revealed, Maybe - Freeform, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Slash, Telepathy, bond
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:13:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27985971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nobodyzhuman/pseuds/nobodyzhuman
Summary: Once upon a time in the crystal cave, Merlin saw a vision of Arthur's future. He saw his best friend and King murdered by a man they once saved. He swore that he would do everything in his power to stop it from happening.He figured it would be easy; Mordred had disappeared years ago after all.But a chance encounter one night leads to the unexpected... Mordred being knighted for saving Arthur's life.Desperate, Merlin tries to think of ways to get druid out of Camelot. But the distance he tried to create backfires, and others warn him about his blatant dislike of the newest knight.  Lost, he doesn't know what to do.How is he supposed to keep Mordred away from the King when it seems all the druid wants to do is protect him?Not to mention Mordred's inability to leave Merlin alone. The druid seems hellbent and determined to befriend him, no matter how hard he pushes the other man away.Slowly Merlin starts to wonder if things can be different. He failed to help Morgana, and she became an enemy. Maybe, if he does things differently, Mordred won't follow her path.
Relationships: Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Mordred (Merlin)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 105





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started this a while back because I wanted a Good Mordred story. It started off as just a small little prompt and turned into a chaptered story. As this is a work in progress, I'll add tags as I go.
> 
> I'm posting this because I have 2 Harry Potter stories I've been working on and I need a break from Harry Potter...
> 
> Title is probably going to change as I write.

“Get some more wood, Merlin.” The young man mimicked his King as he walked through the forest, picking up any burnable wood he could find. He had already cooked the knights dinner and took care of the horses. Undoubtedly one of the knights could have gone for the wood. But no, Arthur said they were exhausted from the small skirmish earlier that day and that Merlin could fetch as he hadn’t fought. Lancelot had at least looked a little apologetic at the comment. The knight being the only one to know Merlin, had been using his magic to help out. Merlin had just sent him a ‘it’s all good,’ grin and wandered off to get the wood. 

Tired and feeling like he had enough wood to last through the night, he turned and started back towards their camp. It took longer than he expected. He had wandered off farther than he realized. Pushing through the trees, he began to hear the sounds of screaming and yelling, fear spiked through him, and Merlin dropped the wood he had been carrying. 

The clanging of metal reached his ears, and he ran closer. He must have missed the start of the fight because even before he could see the camp’s fire, the sounds faded. Worry and dread settled in his stomach, and he sprinted his way through the trees. He wasn’t paying attention to anything around him as he ran. His sole focus was his friends. Too worried about his friends to worry about himself. This is why he missed the figure hiding behind a large tree. 

In fact, Merlin didn’t notice the man until he was grabbed and pulled against the other man’s body. One arm came around his waist, trapping him against his attacker, while the other hand quickly covered his mouth to cut off any cries for help. A spark jolted through him when the hand touched his skin, but he was too busy panicking to really notice it. 

_ Be still, Emrys, _ a smooth, calm voice echoed through his mind before he could reach for his magic. He froze,  _ A druid! _ The druids were peaceful and, more often than not, his friends. Maybe this man could help him save Arthur and the knights. He relaxed his body feeling the man behind him do the same. Though he didn’t remove his hold of Merlin. 

_ My friends?  _ He silently asked back, bringing his hand up to pull at the hand over his mouth. It didn’t budge. 

_ Captured, _ the druid said. Ignoring the hand over his mouth, Merlin pushed his body backward, trying to shove the man off him. The druid just tightened the arm around Merlin, almost painfully so, and let out a frustrated sound. 

_ Stop! You’ll only get yourself captured. If we wait for the guards to fall asleep, we can save them. _ Merlin didn’t like the idea of leaving his friends at the hands of whoever had attacked them. But if he waited, he had a better chance of getting in unnoticed, and he would have this man’s help. It was a better plan than him just running in and hoping for the best. 

_ Fine, _ he sent back and relaxed. Strangely not bothered that yet again, the man hadn’t let him go. 

_ What’s the plan? _ He thought to the man. He heard the man sigh, he turned his head to look at the man, and blue eyes locked on him, and he felt his breath catch. He knew those eyes. 

_ Mordred?  _ He asked without opening his mouth. 

The man smirked;  _ hello, Emrys.  _

Mixed feelings rushed through Merlin. He was happy to see a face he knew and to have help to save his friends. But this was Mordred. The same person, The Great Dragon, had warned him about years ago, the same person he saw in a vision would kill Arthur someday. He swallowed. 

_ What are you doing here? _ He thought at the druid. 

Mordred was giving him a searching look. Like he had caught on to Merlin’s mood shift but didn’t understand it. _My people have a camp nearby,_ Mordred told him; _I was on my way there when I heard the fight and recognized Arthur. I was hiding, waiting to_ _see if I could help when I felt you coming._

_ Felt? _ He asked. 

Mordred smiled at him; you _ are Emrys. You have a strong presence. How do you think we know who you are?  _

_ Huh, _ he hadn’t thought of that. But he also never understood how some people knew him while others didn’t. He turned back around and searched through the trees for his friends. He could see Gwaine and Eylan tired to a tree off towards the edge of the camp. But he couldn’t see any of the others. 

_ Arthur is over there. _ Mordred’s voice was still calm as he pointed over Merlin’s shoulder towards where a group of men sat. Arthur was chained and kneeling next to a large blonde man. The man looked smug and kept patting the King on the shoulder. Arthur sent the man deadly glares as he did so. Merlin got the impression the blonde man was showing off his captive. 

_ Lancelot? _ He asked Mordred, moving his eyes away from the King. Trying to find the two others they had been traveling with. 

_ Who?  _ Mordred replied. Merlin cursed under his breath. Of course, Mordred hadn’t met Lancelot. In fact, the only knight he could think Mordred might recognize was Leon, another missing member of their party. He was sure Leon had been part of the group that had been searching the castle for Mordred when he was younger. 

_ Do you remember Leon? _ He tried to picture the man in his head. Not even sure if images could be sent. He felt Mordred jerk as if surprised. 

_ There. _ Mordred said, sounding unhappy. Merlin felt a little guilty, bringing it up as he watched Mordred’s hand move to point at two bodies lying on the ground. Almost hidden in the shadow of the trees. Neither looked to be moving, and Merlin’s heart skipped. He shifted and probably would have moved for his friends had Mordred not still been holding him. 

_ Wait!  _ Mordred ordered. Merlin froze. For a second, it was like he couldn’t move. He hadn’t felt magic. So it had to have been his own surprise by the command. Ignoring it, he looked back over at his friends. The desire to see if they were okay was strong, but he knew it wouldn’t help anyone. Not right now. If Leon and Lancelot were dead, running in now wouldn’t save them, only put the others in danger. 

So, they waited. 

The only thing that made it easier was Lancelot stirring about an hour later and Leon soon following behind him. Merlin started to breathe easier as all the knights woke, and he could see them looking around, and from the narrowing of eyes and shifting of feet and shoulders, he knew they were planning something. It took forever for the men around his friends to start to drift off. The large blonde man by Arthur being the last. 

Without a word, Mordred moved away from him. Sneaking around the back of the party towards Gwaine and Eylan. They were the furthest away, making them the easiest to get to. Merlin aimed for Lancelot and Leon. As badly as he wanted to go for the King, he was the most surrounded, and they would need the knights to get to him. It was strange that he could feel Mordred as they moved apart, and he sought his friends. It was like a humming in the air. He briefly wondered if it was because they were both using magic to remain unheard. He pushed the thought away as he snuck up behind the two knights. Lancelot jumped when Merlin put his hand on his shoulder, causing Leon to startle as well. 

“Just me.” Merlin whispered and saw both men relax. 

“Took you long enough.” Lancelot joked, looking over his shoulder to send Merlin a smile. Then the man leaned in and started whispering to Leon, hiding Merlin and the chain that connected them from the other knights’ view. Merlin grinned. He loved that Lancelot knew about him and didn’t mind. He made things like this so much easier. 

**“Aliese.”** He whispered. The chains separated easily and fell to the ground. Leon startled and looked at Merlin and then at the chains. The knight grinned at Merlin and slowly gathered the discarded chain in his hand. 

“What about Gwaine and Eylon?” The curly-haired man whispered. 

“Umm,” Merlin said, looking over his shoulder, “a friend. You guys wait here until you see my signal.” He said, then he backed away before either man couldn’t question him. He didn’t have to wait long before he heard _ Ready, _ in his mind. 

He looked at the fire by the sleeping group of men, **“Bærne,”** he commanded and watched as the flames flashed, burning higher and brighter than before. It was so sudden and large that it caught a couple of the sleeping men’s bedrolls on fire. A few screams filled the air, and while they were distracted, Arthur’s knights attacked 

Arthur mustn’t have been asleep because the second he noticed something was going on, he threw himself at the man that had been next to him. Bring them both to the ground. Merlin didn’t bother with any of the other men, just dodged his way through the fight until he was by Arthur. 

Not that the King needed any help. 

“You just standing around, Merlin?” Arthur asked, grinning as he pushed himself back on his heels and tried to stand. His hands were still tied behind his back, so he wavered a little. But the stubborn man found his feet, and Merlin rushed over to help untie him. 

“Well fighting is your thing, Sire.” He said as he undid the rope. He heard Arthur chuckle. 

The second he was free, Arthur moved to see if his men needed any help. They didn’t. The bandits or slavers, as Merlin was starting to suspect from the chains the men had with them, were either dead or unconscious.

The only issue Merlin could see was the look Leon was giving Mordred, who was standing away from the group, bloody sword in his hand. The knight’s head was cocked to the side, and his eyes narrowed. He looked like he was trying to place the druid’s face. 

Worried, Merlin grabbed Arthurs sleeve, “distract Leon,” he whispered hurriedly. 

Arthur raised his eyebrow. Merlin gave him a pleading look. 

“Leon, make sure the survivors are secure. We will take them back to Camelot to stand trial.” The knight looked between his King and the druid, clearly battling with himself. Then sighed and grabbed Eylan to help him. 

When the two men were out of earshot, Arthur looked at Merlin, “Now why did I do that?” He asked. 

“Me.” Mordred whispered as he approached them, “Hello again, Arthur.” Merlin watched as Arthur tried to place the young man in front of him. It took all of about two seconds before the blonde’s eyes widened. 

“Mordred?” He asked, and before the druid could answer, Arthur, reached grabbed his arm, just like Merlin had seen him do when he greeted one of his knights, and pulled him into a quick hug, “It’s good to see you again.” He heard Arthur say before they broke apart. 

Merlin’s stomach sank. Not because Arthur was happy to see Mordred again but because it worried him how easy Arthur greeted him. Like old friends and Merlin didn’t think that was good. He was grateful for Mordred’s help, but he needed to get the druid away from the King as quickly as he could without causing suspicion. 

“Do you feel like you’re missing something?” Gwaine asked cheerfully, looking over at Lancelot, “I feel like I’m missing something.” Lancelot chuckled. “Princess who’s the pretty boy?” 

Merlin looked at Mordred just in time to see a surprised look cross his face. He wondered if it was the fact that a knight called his King princess or the pretty boy comment. 

“And why did you send Leon off?” Lancelot asked because he was a little more observant than Gwaine. 

Arthur looked at his friends, then at Merlin, and then back at Mordred. It took him a second, then he looked back at the knights. 

He looked serious, and when he spoke, it was in a clear, controlled voice, the one he used when sure his words would be obeyed. “Mordred is a druid. One that Leon was once sent to capture by my father. And he is my _ friend _ .” Merlin almost groaned. He really needed to get rid of Mordred fast. 

“Oh,” Gwaine said before walking over and sticking his hand out to shake. “Well, I’m Gwaine; thanks for the save.” Mordred smiled and shook the knight’s hand. Lancelot quickly introduced himself as well, then he turned to look at Arthur. 

“What are you going to tell Leon?” 

“The truth.” Arthur said with a sigh. 

“Leon, Elyan, come here.” He called out. Merlin’s heart raced. He told himself it was stupid. Neither knight would do anything to Mordred, not with Arthur protecting him. Not that he should be worried about Mordred. The druid was destined to kill Arthur. But still, something in him was concerned. 

“Yes, sir?” Leon questioned, clearly noticing that Arthur had positioned himself between the two knights and Mordred. 

“This is Mordred.” Arthur said, “He is also a friend. And a druid.” Leon’s eyes widened. Then he looked back at Mordred. And Merlin saw it click in his head. 

“You helped him escape.” the knight asked. Arthur nodded. Leon seemed to think about it for a second, “it’s nice to meet you, Mordred. Thank you.” 

Merlin could see Mordred’s relief as he took the knight’s hand and shook it. It seemed things were going to be okay. Right up until Eylan spoke. 

“Does that mean you have magic?” The dark-skinned knight asked, looking intrigued and worried at the same time. Merlin froze. Mordred sucked in a breath, and his eyes quickly darted to Arthur and then at Merlin.

_ Emrys?  _ Mordred asked in his mind. 

“It doesn’t matter.” Arthur said, saving both Mordred and Merlin from answering. 

“It doesn’t?” He asked because he had not been expecting that. The knights looked just as shocked.

Arthur shook his head. “No. Now we don’t have to hang about chatting. Sun’s still hours away. We need to move these bodies and make sure our prisoners aren’t going anywhere.” Merlin ached to ask Arthur questions _. Why didn’t it matter? Was it just because it was Mordred? Was the King changing his thinking on magic? _ But he didn’t get a chance. The small group broke apart, doing as their King said. 

Sometime later, Merlin found himself sitting back against a tree far away from the rest of the group. He smiled when Eylan walked over and stood in front of him. 

“You okay?” Eylan asked.

Merlin nodded. “Just tired.” he said with a small smile. 

Eylan laughed, “Me too. Can’t wait to get home.” The knight grinned at him, “thanks for saving us.” He said, sounding more serious, “Arthur may not have said, but we all know we would have been in serious trouble if you and Mordred hadn’t come back for us.” He patted Merlin on the back and then hurried back towards the rest of the group. Almost crashing into Lancelot, who was right behind him. 

“He’s right, you know?” Lancelot said, reaching down for Merlin’s hand, “Though we both know you didn’t need the help.” Merlin laughed as he was pulled to his feet. 

“At least this way it was easier to explain.” He replied as Lancelot dragged him over towards the group. 

“Finally decided to join us, I see.” Arthur said, looking up at Merlin. Merlin usually would have replied with a snarky comeback but seeing Arthur sitting there next to Mordred, both smiling and happy, sent a spark of anger through him. 

“How long until you head back to your camp?” He asked Mordred instead of replying to the King’s comment. He noticed the hurt look that crossed Mordred’s face but forced himself to ignore it. He couldn’t allow himself to see it because then he would feel guilty, and then he might forget that Mordred was not a friend. He couldn’t be. 

“He’s coming back with us.” Arthur said. Merlin saw the glare the blonde sent his way. Merlin was sure that while the King didn’t know why, he had caught on that Merlin didn’t want Mordred around. Merlin sighed. Which only resulted in a more intense glare from Arthur. 

He sat next to Lancelot and tried to ignore the various looks he was getting. Curiosity from the knights, annoyances from Arthur, questioning from Mordred. 

Merlin closed his eyes and rested his head on Lancelot’s shoulder. He had been tempted to just get up and find a spot away from the group to sleep. But doing so, so soon after what had just happened, would have made him look petty and only caused more questions later. So he leaned against his friend, eyes closed as he tried to figure out what to do. 

He couldn’t tell Arthur about his vision. Because of well everything about it. But he couldn’t lie and say that Mordred had done something to earn his mistrust. Arthur would only question Mordred about it and know Merlin was lying and which would make things worse. 

Somehow he fell asleep like that. Only woken up hours later when it was time to get up and head back to Camelot. He tried to ignore the jealous feeling he got when Mordred and Arthur rode side by side the whole way back. The hurt feeling he got when Gwen spotted their return and how she hugged Mordred when she recognized him. He didn’t stay for the conversation, just took his and Arthur’s horses to the stable. 

When he was done, he headed for his chambers. Hoping to ask Gaius for advice. The physician wasn’t in, and in a moment of frustration Merlin threw out his magic, sending a water bucket across the room. It broke, and the water went everywhere. 

Feeling guilty, he cleaned it up,  _ without magic, _ and went to bed. 


	2. Chapter 2

Mordred was to be knighted two days later. For bravery and saving the King’s life. Merlin had tried to bury how hurt it made him feel. He had saved Arthur’s life so many times, and while he didn’t want to be knighted, some of the respect and appreciation Mordred was receiving would have been nice. 

So far, he had managed to avoid everyone. He didn’t care about the knighting and didn’t want to hear about it. He also didn’t want his friends asking any questions. It was working great until he turned a corner and Lancelot and Leon were there. Both men sent him a smile. He returned it and turned away. 

“Nope.” Lancelot’s voice carried over him as both his shoulders were grabbed, and he was forcibly turned around, “Gaius sent us to fetch you. Figured you forgot about the knighting.” 

Merlin scoffed. 

Leon raised a brow at him. 

He gave the knight a half-smile, “I have to finish getting some herbs,” he lied and tried to shake the knight’s hand’s off. Lancelot did not let him go. He shot his friend a glare; the dark-haired man just grinned at him. 

“You have to come.” Leon said, “it would be seen as an insult if you didn’t.” Merlin looked at the knight in disbelief. 

“Why?” He asked. 

“You’re Gaius’s ward and apprentice, not to mention Arthur’s manservant. You might not think it is a big deal, but others would notice and wonder why you weren’t there. They would question both Arthur and Gaius.” The knight said. 

Merlin sighed. He couldn’t do that to either of them. He stopped resisting as Lancelot led him towards the large throne room. Where a crowd was already gathered. Lancelot let him go once they entered, and Merlin found his way to Gaius. He greeted his mentor with a small nod but said nothing. 

He zoned out Arthur’s speech. Instead, focusing on the druid kneeling at the King’s feet. He couldn’t take his eyes away. Mordred’s eyes were closed, and he seemed to be breathing in slowly like he was trying to remain calm. Merlin wondered if Mordred felt the same fear he often felt when he entered this room. 

Some many of their kind had been sentenced to death in this room. It didn’t matter that Arthur hadn’t once since he became King killed someone for sorcery. That fear was always there. Not as bad as it used to be, but Merlin still felt it. Maybe Mordred felt it too. After all, magic was still illegal in Camelot. Arthur knew Mordred was a druid, and after his comment the other night, Merlin was sure the King suspected Mordred’s magic. How easily he could change his mind and sentence Mordred to death instead of knighting him. Not that Merlin believed he would. 

There was a hum in the air as Merlin noticed Arthur’s blade land on Mordred’s shoulder. He sucked in a breath as something in him called out in fear. It felt wrong for the King’s blade to be so close to Mordred’s throat; one swift swing and the druid would be no more. The blade lifted, and Merlin’s magic surged inside him. His heart raced as he bit down on his bottom lip. The blade came down on the other shoulder, and Merlin had to physically clench his hands into fists to stop his magic from escaping his control. 

_ What the hell is wrong with me _ , he panickily wondered. It was like his magic wanted to protect Mordred. Which was stupid; Mordred was the threat, not Arthur. His magic burned right up until the point the sword was pulled away. 

Arthur stepped back, “Rise, Sir Mordred, Knight of Camelot” The young druid did as he was told. The room exploded into cheers. Merlin’s head spun as his magic swarmed inside him. The second it was allowed, he was out of the room and running towards his chambers. 

He was grateful he ran about the castle as often as he did. The guards paid him no attention as he sprinted down the hallways and threw himself into his chambers. His magic was still flaring and raging inside him. Not wanting to set it loose where Gauis worked, he darted into his room.

He collapsed to his knees, and his magic flowed out of him. Bright gold and blue surged around, drifting over the walls and filling the room. Then as suddenly as it started, it faded away. 

“What was that?” Lancelot asked behind him. Startled, Merlin jumped to his feet and found Lancelot and Leon staring at him. He gulped. Lance knew, but the older knight next to him hadn’t. Lancelot was Arthur’s knight and Merlin’s friend. But Leon, Leon had been knighted under Uther. 

Merlin’s heart raced. He opened his mouth; maybe he could explain or lie. Something to save Leon from arresting him and running off to tell Arthur, but all that came out was a choked sound. He couldn’t get his vocal cords to work. Just like everything else that day, they seemed out of his control. He stared at the knights as they stared at him. Lance looked worried, and his eyes were darting between his friends; Leon looked surprised. Merlin’s head spun, and he felt his body sway. 

“Merlin!” He heard Lancelot shout. 

Arms caught him before he hit the floor. He hoped they were Lancelot’s. His friend wouldn’t hurt him. He didn’t think Leon was violent, but the man had just found out that his King’s manservant had magic. Merlin wasn’t sure what his reaction would be. 

“He needs water.” Lancelot said as Merlin felt two hands find their way under his arms and drag him to his feet. He was half dragged, half carried towards his bed. Where Lancelot sat him down and knelt in front of him. 

“Merlin. Breath.” The knight said, and he looked so worried that Merlin wanted to reassure him. He snorted, which didn’t help the fear in his friends’ eyes. 

“It’s okay.” Lancelot said, reaching out to hug Merlin. 

“How?” he whispered, leaning into the hug. 

“I’ll talk to Leon. Explain.” Lancelot said. 

“You don’t have to,” Leon said from the door. Merlin looked over his friend’s shoulder at the older knight, who, in fact, had gone to get him some water. The curly-haired man smiled at him and passed him the cup. 

“Drink.” He said gently, and Merlin found himself obeying. 

“I kinda already suspected.” Leon said. Merlin heard Lancelot let out a surprised breath. 

Leon grinned when he noticed both of their surprised faces, “Merlin, do you understand how many times Arthur was miraculously beatin’ an unbeatable enemy? Or survived something impossible?” Merlin blushed and looked away, “there could be no explanation other than someone was protecting him. When I tried to imagine why, after everything his father had done, a magic-user would protect Arthur, all I could come up with was they cared.” Leon reached down and took the now empty cup from Merlin’s hand and then knelt next to Lancelot, taking Merlin’s hand in his own. 

“I ran through all the people in his life that it could be, and  _ you _ were the only possible candidate. You and him always seem to be together, and you have saved his life before. I held my tongue because you are his friend, and I had no proof. You are one of the most caring and loyal people I have ever met, and if you could keep our King safe, I wasn’t going to be the one to bring attention to you. Besides, I have been around long enough to know Uther’s tales of magic corrupting its users is wrong.” 

The room fell silent as Merlin took in the knights’ words. After a while, he squeezed the man’s hand, hopefully conveying his thanks. 

Leon smiled and stood up. 

“I’m sorry.” Lancelot said a second later. “I should have thought about telling him to stay behind. It didn’t even cross my mind. I just saw you run out of there so fast, and you looked pale and shaky. I was worried. Leon was worried. We just wanted to check on you. I didn’t expect…” He stopped and took a breath, “What was that, Merlin?” Merlin shook his head. Because he didn’t know. 

“He lost control.” Leon said. Merlin shook his head, ready to say he didn’t lose control but stopped because that is what happened, wasn’t it? 

“That’s never happened before,” he said, “I’ve never ever felt like that before. I don’t understand,” he finished. He saw both knights look at each other, concerned. 

“What happened?” Lancelot asked, pushing himself off the floor to sit next to Merlin on the bed. Leon seemed to think about it for a second before he grabbed the chair in the corner and pulled it to see close to them. 

“I don’t… it was during the knighting.” He mumbled. “I think my magic… it didn’t like it.” 

“Is it because of your dislike of Mordred?” Leon asked. 

Merlin sighed and looked down. “I don’t dislike him,” he muttered. He heard one of them snort and looked up. Both knights watched him waiting for an answer. 

“It’s complicated,” he tried. 

“Is it a magical thing? Lancelot asked. Merlin looked at him. 

“I can’t tell you.” His friends went to say something, but he waved them off. “Not right now. Okay? “The knights exchanged looks, then looking resigned, they nodded. 

“Thank you,” he said. 

They left soon after Lancelot made sure to tell Merlin to come to him he needed anything. 

When night fell, Merlin climbed into bed, completely exhausted.

_ Why don’t you like me?  _ The thought hit him out of nowhere, and Merlin jerked upwards in his bed. It took him a second to realize it was Mordred speaking to him in his mind. Frustrated, he laid back down.

_ Emrys?  _ Mordred’s voice came again. Merlin gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the druid. __

_ Emrys, please. _ It was soft, softer than had ever heard the other man before. It tugged at him, and he felt terrible as he squeezed his eyes closed and hummed to himself until Mordred’s voice retreated from his mind. It took hours for him to fall asleep afterward. 


	3. Chapter 3

Merlin stood behind Arthur as the King sat at the large round table with his most trusted knights. Something akin to envy filled him at the sight of Mordred at the table. Though he didn’t say anything. Arthur had already lectured him this morning about needing to be nice to the druid and telling him, “Honestly, Merlin, I don’t know what’s gotten into you,” with a disapproving look. 

It had twisted something inside him, and Merlin had to fight the urge to shout at the King. He was trying to keep the idiot alive, after all. Instead, he had lowered his head and promised to try harder. 

Standing here behind the King while all his friends sat at the table, he found that promise a little harder to keep. He wasn’t one to seek glory for what he had done, but it still hurt that Mordred had been welcomed so easily. Despite him being a druid and one with possible magic. Merlin had spent years protecting and befriending these people, and he still wasn’t sure how a few of them would react if they learned the truth about him. 

Leon had surprised the hell out of him. He had expected the older knight to have been the first to mistrust and be angry at him, to run to Arthur and tell him. Instead, he had been accepting, kind, and promised to keep his secret. It had felt incredible when Merlin had stopped freaking out enough to understand that it was all okay. 

He looked at Arthur; would he react the same? Or would he respond with anger? After all, Merlin had been keeping this secret for years, and unlike Mordred, had been in the King’s everyday life long enough to become a close and trusted friend? Would--

“I’m reconsidering the law’s my father placed about magic and sorcery.” Arthur’s words ripped Merlin out of his thoughts, so roughly, he stumbled. Thankfully Leon was the only knight to notice, and the man just gave him a small amused smile. 

“Sir?” A knight, Gareth questioned, “would that be wise?” 

“I believe my father’s personal history with magic clouded his judgment.” Arthur replied, “I think we need to consider that magic is not evil or corruptive, but simply a tool or weapon to be wielded or used.” Merlin was surprised at the answer and looked down at his friend. Arthur looked determined, and Merlin felt hope for the first time in a while that maybe, just maybe, things were going to get better for magic users. 

“We can’t know that for sure.” Sir Kay argued, “Besides, these people have been persecuted and killed here for more than twenty years. They will not simply stop attacking us just because you change the laws.” _ But they might,  _ Merlin thought,  _ if you gave them a chance.  _

“That’s true.” Eylan agreed. Merlin froze,  _ please, not Eylan. _ He had thought Gwen’s brother was okay with magic. He seemed to be when he met Mordred, “but maybe given time, they will see that Arthur isn’t Uther and that the change in the laws is legitimate and not a trap to draw them in and kill them.” Merlin let out a relieved breath.

“I don’t know about this, Sire,” Sir Aban spoke up for the first time, “your father made these laws for a reason. And I have seen the horrors magic can cause over the years. Letting it back into the kingdom could be a disaster.”

Uther was  _ the _ disaster, Merlin wanted to say. That man had been vile and cruel, and his hatred of magic had nothing to do with it being  _ evil. _

“It’s legal in many kingdoms, and none of those have experienced the same brutal and foul attacks as Camelot.” Gwaine says, “Most places where magic is accepted, the people live peacefully with sorcerers and druids” Merlin smiled at his friend. 

_ Are you avoiding me?  _ Despite it being sudden, Mordred’s voice sounded clear in Merlin’s mind. Merlin sent the man a glare from behind the King. Mordred just raised an eyebrow and stared at him. Annoyed, Merlin looked away. 

“I need you with me on this,” Arthur said. The King didn’t plead or demand. Just started, “I can not take my ideas to the Lords if I do not have my knights standing at my side.” Merlin watched them, trying to see if he could guess which would follow and which would protest. 

_ You are _ . Mordred said, causing Merlin to look at him again. 

_ Pay attention!  _ He mentally shouted at the other man, frustrated that the druid was doing this now. Arthur was on the brink of starting something Merlin and Mordred wanted. Something extraordinary, and the damn druid was more focused on bugging Merlin. They stared at each other for a long moment before Modred snorted and looked away. 

The rest of the meeting moved fast. There were some minor protests from some of the older knights. But by the end, Arthur had all of his knights on his side. The blonde King demanded that no one spoke about what they had discussed until he was ready. He still needed to work at the changes he wanted and talk to the Lords. 

Feeling lighter than he had in years, Merlin walked out of the chamber with a smile on his face, Mordred’s annoyance almost forgotten. 

“Okay, what was that?” Lancelot asked, appearing at his side. 

“What was what?” Merlin asked, confused at what his friend was talking about. 

“You glaring at Mordred.” Merlin sighed. He turned his head to look at his friend. The dark-haired knight had a patient but determined look on his face. Like the one he wore the day he left Camelot years before because he wanted to prove his worth. 

“He wouldn’t leave me alone,” Merlin said. He didn’t really think that would get the knight to back off, but he tried to walk off anyway. He made it half a step before Lancelot pulled him to a stop. 

“He didn’t do anything,” Lancelot said, head cocked to the side like he was thinking about the meeting and was trying to remember the other knight doing anything to Merlin. Merlin sighed. 

“Not out loud, he didn’t,” Merlin said, grabbing Lancelot’s sleeve and pulling the man down an empty hallway. 

“Out loud?” Lancelot asked once they were far away from everyone else.

“Some druids, Mordred included, can talk to others in their minds.” Lancelot’s eyes widened. 

“And he was doing that during the meeting?” Lancelot asked, sounding a little bit excited. Merlin sent him a glare.

“It’s distracting.” He said, hoping the knight would get the hint and drop the matter. 

“But handy.” Lancelot said more seriously, “think how it could help in a fight or on a mission where you had to remain hidden. If you could talk to others without saying anything out loud.” Merlin groaned. Sure the knight was right, but that didn’t stop Mordred’s skill from being annoying. 

“It’s not like you can tell Arthur about it?” Merlin pointed out, “Besides, I don’t know if he can talk to more than one person at a time.” Lancelot didn’t look disappointed at all by Merlin’s comment; more thoughtful. Merlin sighed. 

“I have to go finish finding some supplies for Gauis,” he pushed past the knight. 

“Merlin,” Lancelot called as he was just about to turn the corner, “Whatever your problem with Mordred is, be careful. He is making friends amongst the knights, and it won’t be long before they notice how you feel.” Merlin dropped his head. Then shook it; he didn’t bother replying to Lancelot, just walked away, trying not to think about what the other man had said. 

He really did have to gather herbs for Gaius. He headed outside the city walls and found a patch at the edge of the woods where several of the plants he needed grew wild. Taking his time, he picked as many as he could without damaging the remaining plants. 

During that time, he thought about Arthur and the possible law changes. _When had the King started to change his mind about magic?_ _And how had Merlin missed it?_

Was it possible that he might be able to tell his best friend about him someday soon? He sighed, grabbing his bag. That was still a dangerous thought, and for now, he wouldn’t get his hopes up. He headed back towards Camelot.

Later that night, he found himself unable to sleep. He laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind kept jumping from the possibility of Arthur changing the laws to Mordred. Lancelot’s warning ringing in his ears. The druid was making friends with the knights. He was getting closer to Arthur, and Merlin had no idea how to stop it. The younger man was destined to kill the King, and Merlin couldn’t tell anyone. They would demand proof, and he couldn’t very well tell them he saw it in a version. 

He sighed and rolled onto his side. 

_ You can not keep ignoring me; _ Mordred’s voice broke through his thoughts. He growled out, annoyed at the druid’s intrusion. While he wanted to snap at him and tell him to go away, he bit his tongue and stayed silent. 

_ Emrys.  _ Merlin was surprised by the frustration he could hear in the druid’s voice. 

_ You can not keep this up forever,  _ Mordred said calmly. 


	4. Chapter 4

By the end of the week Merlin was exhausted. He was trying to act like having Mordred around wasn’t bothering him. He talked to the younger man when he had too, he never complained about him, and even watched a few of his training sessions with Arthur. It seemed to help a little, the knights, except for Lancelot, seemed to believe his show. Even Arthur had stopped scolding him about the way he treated Mordred. 

The problem was that the damn druid wouldn’t leave him alone. Every night Mordred reached out to him and tried to get Merlin to talk to him. He asked Merlin to explain what was wrong, even begged him at times. But Merlin just squeezed his eyes shut and waited until the younger man gave up. 

The guilt was clawing at him. Merlin wasn’t a mean or cruel person. It wasn’t in him to just shut out someone who hadn’t done anything to deserve it. And despite the vision of the future, this Mordred, here and now, had done nothing to earn Merlin’s cold and distant behavior. 

With every night he ignored the younger man, Mordred’s voice sounded sadder, more hurt and it pulled at Merlin’s heart. He tried to keep telling himself that he was doing this to protect Arthur, but was finding it harder and harder to believe. 

Plus there was a desperate part of him that wanted to talk to the druid. Merlin didn’t often have a chance to be around people like him. Magic users. Having Mordred walking around, living so close and not being able to ask the million and one questions running through his mind was hard. He had no doubt the druid could teach him a great many things, if Merlin gave him the chance. Merlin feared that if he stopped ignoring Mordred, started talking to the druid, maybe even befriending him, if he let him in, that one day he would forget that Mordred was supposed to cause Arthur’s death. Then when it happened, it wouldn’t just be Mordred he blamed, it would be himself. 

“Merlin!” He spun around to see Arthur running towards him. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked when he noticed the worried look on the King’s face. 

“An attack at the border, the knights are loading up the horses, we leave as soon as they are done. Hurry up.” The king hadn’t even stopped to explain, just talked as he rushed towards the courtyard, leaving Merlin no choice but to chase after him. 

He winced when they walked outside and found the knights and horses ready to go. Gaius must have heard the news before him because the older man stood next to Merlin’s horse, Merlin’s bag already in his hand. Merlin shot him a grateful look and tried to ignore the worry in his stomach at the sight of Mordred already mounted and ready to go. 

“So we really need this many knights?” He asked the King. Arthur shot him a glare and Merlin wanted to find a way to convince him to leave Mordred behind but to question the king now, here in front of all the knights, would only cause more problems. So he bit his tongue and walked over to Gaius. 

“Are you alright?” The physician asked. Merlin merely nodded. 

The ride was uneventful. The knights all teased and joked like normal. Merlin hated to admit that Mordred really fit in with the others. He took Gwaine’s teasing with a smile and poked fun at Eylan with the others. The only knight that seemed to be weary of the druid was Lancelot and that most likely had to do with Merlin then with Mordred. 

The sun had just started to go down when Arthur called their group to a stop with a sudden shout. Merlin quickly searched the area looking for the threat. He easily found what had the King worried. On the ground a few feet from Arthur’s horse was a large winged creature. It wasn’t moving so Merlin slid off his horse and slowly approached it. 

He heard Arthur cruse behind him. 

He nudged the body with his boot when he got close enough. It didn’t move. He then knelt down and tried to move one it’s wings out of the way so he could see it’s body. The creature was tiny compared to a dragon but had similar scales and coloring, this one was black with short bursts of deep green under its wings and on it’s stomach. There were a number of sword wounds that Merlin would bet were the cause of death. 

“What is it?” Arthur whispered from behind him. 

He shrugged, “Not sure. It’s not a dragon.” He stated calmly before the King could start to worry about it. “But it might be related to them.” 

“A wyvern?” Leon asked. Merlin shook his head but it was Mordred that answered, “Too small, and the snout is wrong. Plus those things are grey and ugly.” 

“You saying this thing ain’t ugly?” Gwaine joked. 

“It’s not.” Mordred said and Merlin silently agreed. The creature before him was beautiful and he felt sad that it was dead. He wondered if he could speak to it or control it, like he could the Great Dragon and the Wyverns. 

“I don’t get why we were called out here. It’s clear someone already killed it?” Leon asked, kneeling next to Merlin and running his hand over the creature's side. 

A loud screech filled the air. 

“You had to ask,” Gwaine muttered as they all spun to look at the sky. Merlin stood frozen as a dozen or so creatures started diving for him and the knights. Arthur was the first to pull his sword and swing. Merlin had a brief second of relief when the creatures' dark skin was sliced into, unlike dragons. Sure, he had seen the blade wounds on the dead one but it was still nice knowing the knights could defend themselves. 

With the others around him pulling out their blades and fighting from the ground as the creatures circled over them. Merlin tried to think of a way to help. He couldn’t use magic here, not this close to the others. 

He jumped out of the way hitting the ground hard as one of the creatures dove at him, one of the knights moving to cut its head off. Merlin watched it fall and roll across the ground, feeling a little saddened by it’s death. 

He struggled to his feet trying to figure out what these were. They looked like dragons, but their skin wasn’t as thick. They seemed to lack the ability to breath fire, which was a plus, and they didn’t seem very smart. In fact, they just seemed to keep diving and clawing at him and the knights. Not even avoiding the blades coming their way. 

He heard a scream and saw Eylan clutching his arm, his sword on the ground, another creature coming up behind him. Merlin didn’t even think about it, just ran at the knight and tackled him to the ground. The creature’s claws barely missed them as it flew over. It spun around and came back at them. Merlin swallowed and went to bring up his hand, magic ready. But the creature screamed and was flung away from them, slamming into a tree then falling to the ground, not moving. Merlin looked around and saw Mordred standing surrounded by knight’s his hand out and his glowing gold eyes locked on Merlin. They had a second to stare at each other before the chaos of the fight pulled them back to reality.

Merlin didn’t see much of what happened after that, he was too busy dragging Eylan away from the fight and under the cover of the trees. Then he set to work treating and wrapping the knights arm. When he was finished the screeching and clanking of metal had ended, he turned to see Lancelot helping Gwaine over to him, while Leon, Arthur, and Mordred checked the creatures. 

Sometime later, they sat around a fire about 100 yards away from the dead creatures. Elyan’s arm was wrapped as were Gwaine’s ribs, other than that everyone was okay. Arthur had forced Merlin to check them all out just in case, then they had moved far enough away to feel safe but could still see the creatures just in case. 

They hadn’t been much talking as Lance made dinner and they ate, but there was tension in the air and Merlin could see Mordred fidgeting and looking around nervously. It seemed everyone was waiting. But no one wanted to be the one to bring it up. 

Merlin was picking at the rabbit on his plate, when Arthur finally ended the awkward silences. “So you  _ do _ have magic?” Merlin looked up to see Mordred’s eyes running over the knights. All eyes were on the druid and Merlin could practically feel the younger man’s desire to flee. 

“Arthur…” Mordred started looking at the king, fear evident on his face. 

The king held up his hand, “You saved Merlin and Elyan. You have saved my life at least twice now. I’ve said before that I don't believe my father’s outlook on magic. You are not evil Mordred. You are my friend and I trust you.” Merlin’s heart stopped, while the druid across from him smiled looking genuinely relieved and grateful at the king's words. “Just be careful, there are many still in Camelot that believe otherwise.” 

Hurt, fury, and betrayal, raged inside Merlin and before he thought about it he was on his feet stomping away from the group. He walked into the trees ignoring his King’s call of his name. __

_ How was this fair?  _ He wanted to shout and cry. After everything he was done, it was Mordred and his magic that Arthur was welcoming and trusting. It was Mordred who got to hear the words that Merlin was dying to hear and it was Mordred that was being allowed to be who he really was. All while Merlin still had to hide. 

_ Emrys.  _ Mordred sounded remorseful inside Merlin’s head. Like he knew what Merlin was thinking, feeling, and that made it worse. 

“Go away!” He shouted out loud. He didn't want to talk to the druid, why couldn’t the other man just understand that. 

_ Come back.  _ It sounded like a command and something inside Merlin yearned to obey. It surprised him so much that he actually stopped walking and turned to look back towards where he knew Mordred and the knights were camping. 

  
  
  
  


**Mordred**

“Arthur…” He started, unsure of what he could even say. The man before him had started to see that magic wasn’t evil but that didn’t mean he was ready to see it, to accept it, especially from one of his knights. He stopped when the man held up his hand. 

“You saved Merlin and Elyan. You have saved my life at least twice now.” Mordred let out a breath, “ I’ve said before that I don't believe my father’s outlook on magic. You are not evil Mordred. You are my friend and I trust you.” He couldn’t help but smile, Arthur wasn’t mad at him. 

“Just be careful, there are many still in Camelot that believe otherwise.” He nodded happily. He could be careful, he opened his mouth to say thank you, but was stopped when Merlin stood up and all but ran off into the words. 

_ Shit, _ he thought. He hadn’t thought about what those words would have felt like to Merlin. Who had spent years putting his own life on the line to protect the King. The stubborn sorcerer still wouldn’t talk to him, so he had yet to explain to him the connection building between them. And now he had hurt Merlin in a way, he wasn’t sure how to fix it. 

_ Emrys, _ he called out mentally, he could feel the turmoil that was Merlin’s emotions and he winced. There was so much hurt and fury. Mordred cringed when Merlin shouted at him. He closed his eyes and wished not for the first time that Merlin had been raised amongst the druids because then he would know and understand what was happening between them. If Merlin knew he wouldn’t be blocking and ignoring Mordred. Which meant Mordred would be able to help calm the raging emotions inside the other man. 

But Merlin didn’t know and Mordred had no idea how to tell him. 

With his eyes closed it was easy to reach out his senses and feel for Merlin. Merlin who glowed brighter than any other. Merlin who was getting farther and farther away. He sighed, it was dangerous in the woods especially at night and even though he knew Merlin was strong enough to take care of himself, he felt worried. 

He thought about what to do for a second, then took a deep breath. Merlin was already pissed at him, might as well do what needed to be done and deal with Merlin’s anger later. 

_ Come back!  _ He ordered and felt the bond between them flare into life. There was a flash of confusion from Merlin, followed by anger. Mordred chose to ignore it as he felt Merlin stop and then a moment later start walking back towards them. He let out a relieved breath and opened his eyes. 

The knights were all looking at each other, clearly confused. 

“The hell was that?” Gwaine asked, looking at Arthur. 

“Maybe Merlin distrusts magic?” Elyon asked in a quiet voice. Leon and Lancelot snorted.

Mordred looked at them confused and saw that he wasn’t the only one. 

The King was looking at these two knights with his eyebrows raised and an expression that could only mean one thing,  _ ‘explain.’  _

“Merlin is too kind hearted to hate anything,” Leon said, “besides how many times Arthur, has he protested the way magic users or creatures are treated in Camelot?” 

“True.” Arthur said, “but that doesn’t explain why he just stormed off like that.” 

“Doesn’t it?” Lancelot asked, and Mordred found his eyes locked on the other knight. “He has been telling you for years that just because someone uses magic doesn’t make them evil. And every time you defended your father.” The king frowned, “And now, you welcome Mordred and use the very words Merlin has been trying to get you to understand to defend him. He’s not angry at the magic, Arthur, he’s hurt and angry at  _ you _ .”

“Have you talked to him about it?” Leon asked. “Told him that he might have been right?” 

Mordred watched as their King shook his head. 

“Maybe you should.” Leon said, and the King went to get up, “But not right now,” Lancelot stopped him, “with Merlin being upset, you two are more likely to argue then apologize, I’ll go find him.” The dark haired knight stood up and for a brief second he met Mordred’s eye and tilted his head, before shaking it and walking off. 


End file.
